Jane Goodall Institute

Reed Jules Oppenheimer Foundation

The Jane Goodall Institute

The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) specializes in wildlife conservation, by engaging and empowering local communities to be shepherds of the environment. Reed worked directly with Jane Goodall to launch a worldwide network of educational programs for youth called Roots and Shoots. The primary focus of Roots and Shoots is to empower young people to become good stewards of the planet by taking local action for the benefit of man, other animals, and the environment we share. The organization now works in nearly 100 countries.

The main focus and origin of JGI is the preservation of the great apes, specifically Chimpanzees. RJOF funded the initial Needs Assessment, and resulting Environmental Impact Assessment for a wild life corridor along Lake Tanganyika in Southern Tanzania. Eric was involved in the on-sight project review, working directly with the program manager. The corridor was intended to connect various populations of chimpanzees to increase and secure genetic viability. As a result of the collaborative project, chimpanzees from different regions are now able to interact genetically. Part of this initiative heavily involved the TACARE Program or Tanganyika Area Catchment and Reforestation and Education Program to enable local stakeholders to live in a more environmentally sustainable manner for habitat preservation. More recently, EJ and Sophie are working with JGI-Uganda to help implement a permaculture train-the-trainers program for the ultimate purpose of restoring wildlife corridors and reducing human-animal conflict in the area. Click here to visit their website.